Business
Nonprofit vs SBIR/STTR vs Small Business Grant Writing
Compare nonprofit, SBIR/STTR and small-business grant writing by funder, readiness, technical depth, budget, registrations and proposal process.
Overview
A "grant writer" can work in very different funding ecosystems.
The buying questions change depending on whether the client is:
- a nonprofit;
- a technology startup;
- a general small business.
Nonprofit grant writing
Common funders:
Common readiness questions:
Useful writer experience:
- private foundations;
- corporate giving programs;
- government grant programs.
- mission/program fit;
- outcomes;
- budget;
- organizational history;
- board/governance;
- partnerships;
- reporting capacity.
- program narratives;
- logic/outcomes;
- foundation relationships;
- nonprofit budgets;
- reporting expectations.
SBIR/STTR grant writing
Common federal agencies include NIH, NSF, DoD and others.
Common readiness questions:
Useful writer experience:
Current NIH materials list standard SBIR/STTR due dates of January 5, April 5 and September 5 for applicable standard-cycle submissions, with special opportunities using their own dates.
- innovation;
- technical risk;
- research plan;
- commercialization;
- company eligibility;
- PI/team;
- registrations;
- agency/topic fit.
- technical proposal development;
- commercialization;
- agency-specific rules;
- reviewer expectations;
- resubmission.
General small-business grant writing
The phrase "small business grants" can mean:
A credible consultant should first determine whether a real grant program exists for the business.
Do not market "free government money for any business."
- federal innovation programs;
- state/local programs;
- industry programs;
- economic-development grants;
- nonprofit-like community programs.
Compare the project data
| Buyer | Typical proposal inputs |
|---|---|
| Nonprofit | program, outcomes, community need, budget, organization |
| SBIR/STTR | technology, research plan, team, commercialization, technical data |
| Small business | program-specific business/project information |
Compare proof
A nonprofit writer's success with foundations does not automatically prove:
Likewise, an SBIR specialist may not be the best foundation writer.
- NIH;
- NSF;
- DoD;
- technical SBIR experience.
Choose the writer for the funding ecosystem, not the generic service label
The best first question is not:
Can you write grants?
It is:
Which grants do you regularly write, for organizations like ours?
Explore OneStudio features, compare plans, or see the turnkey website option.
Questions businesses ask
Can one firm serve all three?
Yes, if it has separate subject-matter and funding expertise.
Are SBIR/STTR deadlines fixed forever?
No. Current standard cycles exist, but agencies can change policy and specific opportunities can have different deadlines.
Are grants available to every small business?
No. Eligibility depends on the specific funding program.
Does OneStudio match companies to grants?
No. OneStudio should remain the consultant's public website, consultation/enquiry and ordinary CRM layer.